After the mistakes on the first day, the German championship ended for Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with splashing champagne, a water bath and double gold.
The 37-year-old dressage rider won the second title in Balve with her mare Dalera in the freestyle after the special gold on Saturday. Marcus Ehning, who only won the show jumping title after an extremely exciting jump-off, was also celebrated a short time later.
Von Bredow-Werndl lived up to her favorite position in Balve after the double Olympic champion had started the tournament from Tokyo with mistakes and a defeat. When it came to the two titles, the dressage rider from Tuntenhausen in Bavaria, who dominated again after her baby break, was sovereign. “It is not a matter of course” to win, commented the number one in the world rankings.
“We were able to let go and start again today”
“It wasn’t so bad that it happened like this,” said the winner about the mistakes made at the start of the tournament. “We were able to let go and start again today. Of course it feels better than second place yesterday,” she commented after the first of two titles.
The couple presented themselves even better a day later in the freestyle. “Dalera is really under pressure and shows me that she has power and is motivated,” said the rider, who originally considered not taking the final test – and then showed a very strong test. She received 90.075 percent for her ride and celebrated her fifth national title overall.
“Dalera was in a great mood,” enthused the winner of the two dressage titles. Von Bredow-Werndl won the freestyle far ahead of Frederic Wandres from Hagen near Osnabrück with Bluetooth (81.775) and Ingrid Klimke from Münster with Franziskus (80.650). After the test, Wandres and Klimke poured a tub full of water on the grinning winner.
Sönke Rothenberger from Bad Homburg with Fendi, who surprisingly won silver in the Special on Saturday, decided not to start in the freestyle. The rider wanted to take it easy on his nine-year-old horse and not subject him to a third test within three days. Isabell Werth (Rheinberg) also did without the freestyle after two mediocre performances with Quantaz.
Show jumping: The decision was made on the last jump
In the show jumping it was much tighter than in the freestyle. The decision was not made until the last jump. Ehning won the title in the jump-off duel with Priam du Roset because Maurice Tebbel from Emsbüren with Chacco’s Light was the last rider to concede a down on the last jump. “Maurice was unlucky, that was my luck,” commented the 49-year-old from Borken, who celebrated his second national title after 2002.
“I had already come to terms with second place,” said Ehning about Tebbel’s much faster ride. “Perhaps I could have taken a little less risk,” commented Tebbel after second place. Third was Maximilian Weishaupt from Jettingen with Omerta Incipit.
Several top German riders had decided not to compete in the national championships and instead competed in well-rewarded tournaments abroad. However, there were no victories in the important tests. Philipp Schulze Topphoff from Havixbeck achieved the best result in the saddle of Carla with fourth place at the Global Champions Tour in Cannes.
